Richard Smead

CIS281 · CIS107 · CIS2 · CIS109 · CIS160 · CIS290 · CIS183 · 18 lifetime ratings

AI rating: 68/100
RMP rating: 3.5/5
Take again: 83.33%
Difficulty: 2.6

The decision

if you want deep subject knowledge and can handle lecture-heavy classes, but if you need tight structure or beginner-level pacing.

Best fit · Hardcore LearnerVery knowledgeableLecture heavyRambles oftenClear grading criteriaLabs and quizzes

Students consistently say he knows the subject deeply, but lectures can be long, dull, or rambling.
Grades and workload vary by student, with several positive comments about fairness and one .
Class notes, labs, and , so skipping can hurt performance.

Key questions

Four answers before you build your schedule.

Is this an easy A?

FairEffort

55/100

An A is possible with labs, notes, and quizzes, but comments do not support a low-effort easy A.

All evidence comes from in-person reviews, with .

Is the course easy?

Standard

48/100

The content is manageable for prepared students but can feel too advanced and unstructured for beginners.

All course .

Is attendance flexible?

WorthIt

70/100

and fairness, but several criticize rambling, weak structure, and poor fit for beginners.

Recommendation .

Course guide

See how this professor fits your week.

Grading

Fair

58/100

Several students call him fair, but .

Format shift

Workload

Moderate

50/100

Labs, quizzes, projects, and notes create steady work, though some students say class time is enough for many labs.

Format shift

All .

Teaching experience

Average

68/100

He is respected for subject knowledge, but repeated complaints about rambling and structure lower the teaching score.

Format shift

All .

Assessment method

Balanced

56/100

Reviews mention labs, quizzes, projects, and a and exams.

Format shift

Only in-person reviews mention assessments.

Luni fit check

Weigh these signals against your actual schedule.

Get help balancing workload, grading, and timing when no option is an obvious fit.

Course format

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Classroom format

In person

18 reviews

High confidence · Best fit for Hardcore Learner

In-person reviews describe a knowledgeable instructor , and tolerance for long lectures.

Main concern

Lectures can ramble and feel poorly structured for beginners.

What students said

“But you will learn something; the dude knows everything.”
CIS290

“Several students including me were lost from day one.”
107109

“Rambles...ALOT”
CIS183

Remote format

Online

0 reviews

Low confidence

No stored summary is available for this format.

Main concern

No main concern is stored for this format.

Exam style

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

Reviews mention quizzes, labs, and a final, but do not clearly prove open-book, closed-book, webcam, or proctoring rules.

QuizzesLabsFinalNotes-Based Quizzes

Assessment risk

Standard

55/100

Low score means less forgiving assessment conditions.

In person

, and , but exam rules are not clearly proven.

QuizzesLabsFinal

“Short-term hybrid course; 5 quizzes, 5 labs (2 of which MUST be completed on campus), and 1 final.”
CIS109

“do the labs and study your notes for the .”
CIS107

Online

Student evidence

See what students actually said.

Top student voice
“But you will learn something; the dude knows everything.”
Voice snapshots generated from 18 reviews, highlighting key themes in , and course fit. Credibility rating: High.

🎯 Teaching Knowledge

68/100

“Really knows the subject. . Good lectures.”

⚖️

58/100

“Very good lecturer. Really knows the subject and makes it interesting. .”

📚 Workload Reality

50/100

“Lectures are a bit dull and long, and the of your time.”

Theme 1

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

Very knowledgable about the subject.
Knows what he's talking about but sometimes tends to ramble past the class time.
does nothing but lecture from a .

Theme 2

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

. Good lectures.
Took this class to learn some extra knowledge on computers, turned in almost everything required for the class, however received a solid F, not even a D for what was turned in or tests taken.
do the labs and study your notes for the .

Theme 3

🧭 About Course Fit

if you expect an intro course.
If you are already HIGHLY knowledgeable on the subject, it is technically possible to pass while only showing up for .
but u need those notes

Data context

See exactly what the AI read.

Analysis sample

Recent reviews read by the AI

Lifetime ratings

86/100

Evidence confidence

Credibility is high because 18 reviews span several years and show consistent , and structure.

Inside 18 stored ratings

Quality ratings

5 out of 57

4 out of 54

3 out of 52

2 out of 52

1 out of 53

Course coverage

CIS1094 reviews

CIS2904 reviews

CIS1833 reviews

CIS2813 reviews

1071091 review

Show 3 more courses

CIS1071 review

CIS1601 review

CIS21 review

Reported outcomes

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

6 reported outcomes

A range

A+ 2 · A 3

B range

No reported values

C range

No reported values

D range

No reported values

F

F 1

No letter grade reported

No reported values

Richard Smead

x x if you want deep subject knowledge and can handle lecture-heavy classes, but x x if you need tight structure or beginner-level pacing.

Four answers before you build your schedule.

FairEffort

Standard

Recommended

WorthIt

See how this professor fits your week.

Compare the in-person and online experience.

Know what to expect from exams and major assignments.

In person

Online

See what students actually said.

🎯 Teaching Knowledge

⚖️ x x

📚 Workload Reality

👨‍🏫 About Teaching Style

📈 About Difficulty & Grades

🧭 About Course Fit

See exactly what the AI read.

Quality ratings

Course coverage

A range results lead the reported letter grades.

A range

B range

C range

D range

F

No letter grade reported

if you want deep subject knowledge and can handle lecture-heavy classes, but if you need tight structure or beginner-level pacing.

⚖️